Grain-conveyer.



No. 64l,598. Patefited Jan. l6, I900. G. E. MAHAN, A. FITZBDY & R. 0BR.GRAIN CUNVEYER.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOHS A TTOHNE Y NlTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE E. MAIIAN, ALFRED FITZROY, AND ROBERT ORR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.;SAID FITZROY ASSIGNOR TO SAID MAHAN AND ORR.

GRAIN-CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,598, dated January16, 1900. Application filed March 11,1899. gerial No. 708,759. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. MAI-IAN, ALFRED FITZROY, and ROBERT ORR,citizens of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, cityof New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventedcertainnew and useful Improvements in Grain-Oonveyers; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to grain-conveyors; and it consists, essentially,of a tube or cylinder provided with a hopper or receiver at one end anda discharge-nozzle at the other end, and a system of air ducts or pipesso arranged that the grain or other substance is forced through theconveyer and discharged at the nozzle end.

The invention further consists of the general construction andcombination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device that may bereadily attached to the discharge end of an ordinary grain-conveyer,particularly that class of conveyors or chutes designed for loadingvessels orcars and used to convey the grain to any part of the hold of avessel or a railroad-car, so that the grain may be evenly and uniformlydistributed throughout the vessels hold or car, thereby keeping thecargo trimmed during the entire process of loading, and thus obviate thenecessity of trimming by hand,which is usually accomplished byshoveling.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent on a more completedescription of the device.

These objects are attained by means of the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of ourimproved grain-conveyer, the tube and nozzle partly broken away to showthe internal arrangement of the air ducts or pipes; Fig. 2, a sideelevation of the same; Fig. 3, a plan view of the lower air-distributingring; Fig. 4, a similar view of the upper air-distributing ring, andFig. 5 a modified form of air duct or pipe.

Referring to the several views, the letter F indicates a conveyer tubeor cylinder, preferably made tapering, provided with a hopper O at theupper end and with a nozzle G at the lower end. Situated at the junctionof the hopper with the upper end of the conveyer-tube is a tubular ringB, which is provided with a series of perforations B, for a purpose tobe hereinafter described. At tached to the upper end of the nozzle G inany suitable manner is a tubular ring A, of smaller diameter than thering B, provided with perforations A, openinginto the nozzle, thepurpose of which will be presently explained. The nozzle G is providedwith a collar G, into which the end of the conveyertube is received.

The letter I indicates an air-supply pipe, to which is connected branchpipes E E. These pipes extend down to the lower ring A, to which theyare suitably connected, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These pipes are alsoconnected with the ring B by means of short couplings b. Extending fromthe supplypipe down through the hopper and into the conveyer-tube is apipe D, having a closed end provided with small perforations.

In operating our invention the hopper end of the conveyor is placeddirectly under the discharge end of the ordinary conveyer or chute, towhich it may be attached in any suitable manner, preferably by means ofa suitable hanger, which will permit of the lower or outer end beingturned in any desired direction. The supply-pipe I is connected to anysuitable compressed-air source of supply. As the grain falls into thehopper from the ordinary chute it will be blown or carried through theconveyer-tube by the force of the air which is discharged through theperfora tions in tubular ring 13, being accelerated by the force of airdischarged through the end of the pipe D. As the moving grain reachesthe tubular ring A the force of the air-jets coming through theperforations A will discharge the grain rapidly through the nozzle G tothe desired point.

It will be understood that grain may be conveyed and deposited anindefinite distance from the source of supply by increasing the lengthof the conveyer-tube and the number of perforated tubular rings, and itwill be also understood that these rings may be provided withair-discharge nipples or tubes instead of the perforations B and A.

Various modifications or changes may be made without departing from thespirit of our invention or sacrificing the principle thereof-forinstance, the central air pipe or conduit D may be reduced in diameterat one or more points of its length, as at 7i, and provided withair-discharge outlets h. By thus constructing the central conduit thetravel of the grain will be greatly accelerated throughout the entirelength of the conveyer.

One of the advantages of our conveyer is that in the transmission of thegrain therethrough the grain is cooled and all animal life, such asweevils and the like, is destroyed, and another advantage is that anychemical or other powdered or granular substance of a weight or densitywhich will permit of it being expelled or projected through the atmosphere may be transmitted with or without the grain.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a grain-conveyer, the combination, with asuitable conveyer tube orcylinder having a grain-receiving inlet and a grain-dis charge outlet,of an air-supply pipe, a central air-discharge conduit, and upper andlower annular air-discharge conduits, whereby the inflowing grain iscaused to be transmitted rapidly through the conveyer-tube by the forceof the air.

2. In a grain-conveyer, the combination, with a conveyer tube orcylinder having a grain-receiving inlet and a grain-discharge outlet, ofupper and lower annular air-discharge conduits, a central air-dischargeconduit, an air-supply pipe, and air-conduits connecting theair-discharge conduits with the supply-pipe.

3. In a grain-conveyer, the combination, with a conveyer tube orcylinder provided with a grain-receiving hopper and a graindischargeoutlet, of an annular air-discharge conduit located between the hopperand upper end of the conveyer-tube, and a similar airdischarge conduitlocated between the discharge-outlet and the lower end of saidconveyer-tube, an air-supply pipe having branches leading therefrom andconnected with the two annular conduits, and a central air-dischargeconduit connected with the supply-pipe.

4. In a grain-conveyer, the combination, with a conveyer tube orcylinder having a grain-receiving inlet and a grain-discharge outlet, ofupper and lower air-conduits, a central air-conduit, reduced at one ormore points and provided with air-outlets at the reduced points, anair-supply pipe, and connections between the supply-pipe andair-conduits, whereby air may be forced through said conduits anddischarged to force the grain through the conveyer-tube.

5. In a grain-conveyer, the combination, with a conveyer tube orcylinder provided with a receiving-hopper and a discharge-out let, of anair-supply pipe having two side branches and a central branch extendinginto the conveyer-tube, upper and lower air-discharge conduits, andmeans connecting the side branches with the upper and lower conduits.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE E. MAI'IAN. ALFRED FI'IZROY. ROBERT ORR. Vitnesses:

ROBERT P. ORR,- CHRISTOPHER JORDAN.

